A young mother, diagnosed with an extremely rare form of cancer, has been told she has just months to live, after discovering a lump just after the birth of her daughter.

Nikita Jones, 22, from Port Talbot, first noticed a lump between her breasts in the summer of 2023, when her newborn daughter, Vienna, was only two months old. 

Initially treated as an abscess, the lump failed to clear up with antibiotics, prompting a referral to the breast clinic.

In August 2023, Nikita received devastating news: she had been diagnosed with a rare form of soft tissue cancer called sarcoma. 

Doctors informed her that she was one of just two people in the UK with this particular condition.

Speaking to Wales Online on her behalf, Nikita’s mother, Vicki Hughes, described the diagnosis as the beginning of a ‘year of hell.’

Despite the initial shock, Nikita underwent a series of intense treatments to fight the disease.

After waiting for the creation of titanium ribs to assist in the delicate surgery, Nikita underwent a double mastectomy and had part of her chest plate removed in October 2023. 

Doctors were able to preserve her ribs, and Nikita was sent to London for six weeks of proton beam therapy. However, her mother has said this treatment left her with severe burns.

By March 2024, Nikita was told she was cancer-free – but her relief was short-lived. 

In the months that followed, she began experiencing pain and swelling in her legs, along with a persistent cough and repeated chest infections. 

A shadow on her lung, which doctors initially attributed to inflammation from her treatment, prompted further tests.

When Nikita underwent a CT scan, the results were devastating. The cancer had returned in her lungs, and doctors informed her that there was nothing more they could do. 

With chemotherapy, Nikita was given around 16 months to live; without treatment, doctors said she had just six months.

Before finding out the earth-shattering news, Nikita had moved into her first home with her daughter and boyfriend Shaun Williams in the hope of a fresh start. 

Vicki Hughes expressed the family’s grief, saying: ‘There are just no words. I am lost for words.’

In response to her diagnosis, Nikita planned a ‘f*** you cancer’ party in October, with the hopes of creating lasting memories with her friends and family. 

Despite the crushing news, Vicki says that Nikita is supported by a ‘whole village’ of loved ones, including her grandmother, Catherine, and her two sisters, Jordanna and Tanisha.

As Nikita faces the reality of her prognosis, the family is determined to make the most of the time they have left. 

They are especially focused on ensuring that Nikita can create as many memories as possible with her young daughter. 

Nikita’s friend, Demi Williams, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to support Nikita’s journey and help her make lasting memories with Vienna. You can donate here.

In just two weeks, the fundraiser has raised over £7,000, with Demi writing on the page in response to the donations: ‘Thank you so much to everyone who has donated and supported Kita’s journey so far. 

‘Your generosity means the world, and it’s helping Kita create lasting memories with her daughter, Vienna.’